【Aim】To understand the effects of habitat changes on the bacterial communities in the larval gut of chironomids by studying the diversity and potential function of bacterial communities in the gut of Propsilocerus akamusi, a pollution-resistant chironomid identified in the freshwater area of the heavy metal polluted Bohai Bay of Tianjin City. 【Methods】The 4th instar larvae of P. akamusi identified in the freshwater area of the heavy metal polluted Bohai Bay of Tianjin City were raised with distilled water in laboratory for 7 d as the laboratory-cultured group, and the bacterial genomic DNA in the 4th instar larval gut of P. akamusi from the laboratory-cultured group and the wild-captured group was extracted. The high-throughput sequencing of the V3-V4 region of 16S rRNA gene was carried out, and the sequencing results were subjected to data quality control, sequence alignment and filtering, the changes in the species composition of gut bacterial communities were analyzed and the potential functions of gut bacteria were predicted. 【Results】Based on the 16S rRNA sequencing results of the gut bacteria in the 4th instar larvae of P. akamusi, 11 phyla, 13 classes, 33 orders, 54 families, 71 genera, 90 species and 105 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were annotated. The diversity and abundance of bacterial communities in the 4th instar larval gut of P. akamusi in the laboratory-cultured group were lower than those in the wild-captured group. The dominant bacterial phyla in the 4th instar larval gut of the two groups were similar, including Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota and Desulfobacterota. The abundance of Proteobacteria in the 4th instar larval gut of the wild-captured group was significantly higher than that in the laboratory-cultured group. The average abundance of Aeromonas, Shewanella, Serratia, Pseudomonas and Yersinia in the 4th instar larval gut in the laboratory-cultured group was significantly lower than that in the wild-captured group. The results of linear discriminant analysis revealed that there were bacterial species with significantly different abundance in the 4th instar larval gut of P. akamusi between the wild-captured group and the laboratory-cultured group. The KEGG analysis results showed that the relative abundance of metabolism-related genes in the bacterial genome of the 4th instar larval gut of P. akamusi was extremely high. The relative abundance of genes related to environmental information processing and cellular processes in the gut bacterial genome of the 4th instar larva of P. akamusi in the laboratory-cultured group significantly decreased as compared to that in the wild-captured group.【Conclusion】The results of this study indicate that there are significant differences in the diversity of the gut bacterial communities and gene functions between P. akamusi larvae living in adverse field environments and those reared in laboratory pure water environments. This helps to study the individual resistance mechanisms of chironomids from an environmental perspective, provides a new idea for further exploring the mechanism of the symbiotic microorganisms in the gut of chironomid larvae to cope with environmental stress, and also lays a foundation for the study of the tolerance mechanism of insects in adverse environmental conditions and the regulatory mechanism of homeostasis of their gut microbial communities.

【Aim】 This study aims to ascertain the relationship between the main nutritional components in plant leaves and the feeding preference of Holotrichia parallela adults, and to identify the main nutritional components affecting its adult feeding, longevity and fecundity. 【Methods】 The longevity, feeding amount and oviposition amount of H. parallela adults on five kinds of plants (Arachis hypogaea, Juglans regia, Ulmus pumila, Ligustrum vicaryi and Populus tomentosa) in the laboratory were determined, and the correlation between the contents of four main nutritional components (amino acid, fatty acid, crude fiber and total phosphorus) in plant leaves and the feeding amount, oviposition amount and longevity of H. parallela adults was analyzed. 【Results】 The daily average feeding amount of H. parallela adults on the leaves of five kinds of plants ranked in descending order as: A. hypogaea>J. regia>U. pumila>L. vicaryi>P. tomentosa. The total feeding amount and total oviposition amount per adult on J. regia, A. hypogaea and U. pumila leaves were significantly higher than those on L. vicaryi and P. tomentosa leaves (P<0.01). The total feeding amount of H. parallela adults showed significant correlation with the content of amino acids in plant leaves (P<0.05; r=0.515). Moreover, the total oviposition amount per female adult of H. parallela showed extremely significant correlation with the contents of fatty acids and amino acids in plant leaves (P<0.01)(r=0.698 and r=0.746, respectively). The correlations between the contents of essential amino acids in plant leaves and the feeding amount and oviposition amount of H. parallela adults were similar to those between the content of total amino acids in plant leaves and the feeding amount and oviposition amount of H. parallela adults. The total feeding amount of H. parallela adults showed the most significant correlation with the content of lysine in plant leaves, and the total oviposition amount per adult showed a correlation with the contents of essential amino acids in plant leaves. Adult longevity was not correlated with the contents of nutritional components of plant leaves. 【Conclusion】 The lysine content in the plant leaves is the key factor that affects the feeding preference of H. parallela adults, and the contents of essential amino acids and fatty acids in plant leaves further affect its fecundity.

【Aim】 This study aims to determine the toxicity level and field control efficacy of metaflumizone against the larval fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, and to provide a reference for scientific use of metaflumizone in the control of S. frugiperda. 【Methods】 The median lethal concentration (LC₅₀) and LC₉₀ values of metaflumizone and four commonly used insecticides including emamectin benzoate, chlorantraniliprole, lufenuron and indoxacarb against the 3rd and 6th instar larvae of S. frugiperda and the medium lethal time (LT₅₀) values of these insecticides at the concentration of LC₉₀ against the 3rd instar larvae were determined in the laboratory with diet-incorporated method. Simultaneously, the control efficacies of 22% metaflumizone suspension concentrate(6.6 g/667 m²), 22% metaflumizone suspension concentrate (17.6 g/667 m²), 5.7% emamectin benzoate water dispersant (1 g/667 m²), and 150 g/L indoxacarb suspension concentrate (2 g/667 m²) against S. frugiperda larvae were determined in corn field by artificial spray approach. 【Results】 Laboratory bioassay results revealed that among the tested five insecticides metaflumizone showed higher toxicity to the 3rd and 6th instar larvae of S. frugiperda, with the LC₅₀ values of 2.64 and 4.36 mg/kg, respectively, and its toxicity to the 6th instar larvae of S. frugiperda was only lower than that of emamectin benzoate. The LT₅₀ value of metaflumizone at the concentration of LC₉₀ against the 3rd instar larvae of S. frugiperda was 11.98 h, comparable to that of indoxacarb (11.50 h) and lower than those of chlorantraniliprole, emamectin benzoate and lufenuron (17.20, 23.40, and 39.24 h, respectively). Field efficacy test showed that 22% metaflumizone suspension concentrate at the application rate of 17.6 g/667 m² had an excellent control efficacy against S. frugiperda larvae, with the corrected control efficacies of 69.97%, 78.98% and 82.86% at 1, 3 and 7 d after application, respectively, showing no significant difference from that of the control agent 5.7% emamectin benzoate water dispersant at the application rate of 1 g/667 m². 【Conclusion】 The results of this study suggest that metaflumizone has excellent insecticidal activity and rapid action against S. frugiperda larvae, especially against the 6th instar larvae in the laboratory, and exhibits good control efficacy against S. frugiperda in the field, suggesting that it can be utilized to control S. frugiperda in China.

【Aim】 Our previous study revealed that two calcium-binding proteins (BtCaBP1 and BtCaBP2) are involved in the stress response of Bemisia tabaci MED to cyantraniliprole. This study aims to systematically reveal the biological effects of calcium-binding proteins on B. tabaci MED by RNAi of their genes. 【Methods】 After knocking down the calcium-binding protein genes BtCaBP1 and BtCaBP2 in B. tabaci MED adults by feeding dsRNA, the expression levels of the two genes were determined by qPCR. The biological parameters including the longevity (female and male) and fecundity of adults, and the egg hatching rate and pre-adult duration of offspring of B. tabaci MED between the control group (feeding on dsEGFP) and the treatment group (feeding on dsBtCaBP1 and dsBtCaBP2, respectively) were observed and compared after RNAi for 3 d. 【Results】 After feeding on dsBtCaBP1 and dsBtCaBP2, respectively, for 3 d, the expression levels of the target genes BtCaBP1 and BtCaBP2 of B. tabaci MED adults decreased significantly as compared with those in the control group. Compared with the control group, the dsBtCaBP2 treated-group had significantly increased the longevity (female: 15.46±1.24 d vs 13.25±0.58 d; male: 13.84±0.38 d vs 12.67±0.65 d), significantly decreased the number of eggs laid per female (39.53±3.04 vs 76.06±4.76), significantly decreased the egg hatching rate of offspring (81.58%±4.42% vs 87.22%±3.21%), and significantly shortened the pre-adult duration of offspring (24.42±1.09 d vs 27.52±1.73 d). However, feeding on dsBtCaBP1 had no significant effect on the above biological parameters of B. tabaci MED. 【Conclusion】 The RNAi of BtCaBP1 and BtCaBP2 has different biological effects on B. tabaci MED, and this finding will be helpful to reveal the function of CaBPs.

Recent reports on programmed cell death (PCD)(or apoptosis) in Drosophila reveal that during metamorphosis, binding of ecdysone to the complex of ecdysone receptor and ultraspiracle results in expression of the transcription factors that are primarily and secondarily responsive to PCD signals in the regulatory networks. These transcription factors activate the expression of inducers (Reaper, Hid, and Grim) of apoptosis and the activated inducers suppress activity of inhibitors of apoptosis proteins, resulting in onset of the caspase-dependent apoptosis. The genetic regulators that are involved in the ecdysone-induced programmed cell death in Drosophila and their relationship between each other were reviewed in this article.

【Aim】 The aim of this study is to isolate microsatellite markers from Tapinoma melanocephalum genome, and to identify polymorphisms of the microsatellite loci. 【Methods】 We developed microsatellite loci from the genomes of 11 geographic populations of T. melanocephalum from the mainland and islands of South China via 454 GS FLX pyrosequencing technology. We used 10 pairs of microsatellite primers selected from randomly designed 100 pairs of microsatellite primers to determine the polymorphisms of the 10 microsatellite loci and to analyze the population genetic diversity and population differentiation of four geographic populations including Dong′ao Island (DAD), Hebao Island (HBD), Meizhou (MZ) and Shanju (SJ) of T. melanocephalum. 【Results】 We successfully developed and isolated 10 pairs of microsatellite primers from the genomes of the 11 geographic populations of T. melanocephalum. In populations DAD, HBD, MZ and SJ, seven of ten microsatellite loci showed high polymorphism and the 10 loci were significantly departed from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The number of allele (A) per locus was 3.50-9.00, allele richness (A_R) per locus in each population ranged from 1.992 to 12.938. The A_R and expected heterozygosity (H_E) from island geographic populations (DAD and HBD) showed no significant difference from those from mainland geographic populations (MZ and SJ). All of the four geographic populations exhibited higher level of genetic divergence (F_ST=0.15969). HBD and MZ populations showed higher genetic divergence (F_ST=0.185) and lower gene flow than other paired geographic populations, suggesting that the gene flow of the two populations was restricted. In addition, the genetic variation derived from between individuals within geographic populations. 【Conclusion】 Newly screened microsatellite loci can offer an effective tool for researching on the colony structure and breeding structure of T. melanocephalum, so that its spread mechanism can be deeply understood.

【 Aim 】 Apis cerana cerana is an important germplasm resource and pollinator. This study aims to explore the genetic diversity and population structure of A. cerana cerana in theYimengMountains,Shandongprovince,East Chinaso as to provide a theoretical foundation for the utilization and conservation of germplasm resource for A. cerana cerana. 【 Methods 】 In this study, 114 broods of A. cerana cerana from 7 localities in the Yimeng Mountains were selected and 36 morphological indexes were measured according to Ruttner ’ s analytical method. And the genetic diversity of A. cerana cerana in theYimengMountainswas evaluated with 11 microsatellite loci. 【 Results 】 The results of morphological analysis showed that the average body length and the average forewing length of A. cerana cerana foraging workers in theYimengMountainswere 12.064-13.351 mmand 8.198-8.694 mm, respectively. Fifty - eight alleles were found in the 11 microsatellite loci. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 17. The average expected heterozygosity and polymorphism information content (PIC) of all loci were 0.3115 and 0.2872, respectively. The average number of alleles in all the populations ranged from 2.4545 (ST - AQ) to 4.0000 (BHY), and the average expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.1916 to 0.3397. The average genetic differentiation measured as an Fst value was 0.048. The Nei ’ s genetic distance ranged from 0.0092 (XL - DLZ to XZ - XLZ) to 0.1000 (XL - DLZ to XL - DJW). Besides, the cluster analysis results showed that all the populations in theYimengMountainscould be grouped into three categories. 【 Conclusion 】 The population structure of A. cerana cerana populations in theYimengMountainsis similar. The results suggest that the gene flow occurs in different populations. Compared with the populations in other positions, A. cerana cerana in theYimengMountainsshows certain specificity in morphology and genetic structure.

Insect symbionts are microorganisms that establish enduring and sustained associations with insect hosts. These microorganisms inhabit the body surface, gut, hemocoel, or intracellular cells of insects, participating in the regulation of various physiological functions of their host insects. Research on insect-symbiont interactions involves multidisciplinary collaboration. In-depth exploration of the functions of insect symbionts and their interactions with hosts not only advances our understanding of fundamental mechanisms in the life sciences but also introduces innovative perspectives and methods for pest management, vector-borne disease control, and optimal utilization of beneficial insects. In recent years, Chinese researchers have made noteworthy progress in the insect microbiome and got significant achievements in many research directions. In this article, we provided an overview of the most recent research progress in insect symbionts, introduced the main contents of this special issue, and proposed three noteworthy research directions: (1) the functions of insect intracellular symbionts; (2) the mechanisms by which insects regulate the abundance and transmission of symbionts; and (3) genetic modification and application of insect symbionts.

【Aim】 This study aims to evaluate the changes in nutrients in tobacco induced by potato virus Y (PVY) and their effects on the life characteristics of the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae, so as to clarify the interaction mechanism between PVY-tobacco and aphids. 【Methods】 Changes in the soluble sugar and free amino acid contents in tobacco plants at different stages of PVY infection were determined using the anthrone colorimetric method and an automatic amino acid analyzer, respectively. The differences in population development parameters, adult longevity, fecundity, and the number of alataes of M. persicae on PVY-infected tobacco plants and healthy tobacco plants were investigated and compared. 【Results】 The free amino acid contents in tobacco leaves at the early, steady, and late stages of PVY infection (5, 12 and 20 d post infection, respectively) were significantly higher than those in the healthy leaves. Moreover, the contents of glutamic acid, proline, aspartic acid, tryptophan, valine, lysine, and histidine in tobacco leaves at the early stage of PVY infection were also significantly higher than those in the healthy plants. Moreover, at the steady stage of PVY infection, the serine content in tobacco leaves was significantly decreased, whereas the contents of glutamic acid, aspartic acid, tryptophan, valine, leucine, phenylalanine, arginine, and histidine were significantly increased as compared with those in the healthy leaves. At the late stage of PVY infection, the glycine content in tobacco leaves was significantly decreased, whereas the contents of glutamic acid, proline, aspartic acid, threonine, valine, leucine, alanine, phenylalanine, histidine, tyrosine, and arginine were significantly increased as compared with those in the healthy leaves. Furthermore, the soluble sugar contents in tobacco leaves at the early and steady stages of PVY infection were significantly higher than that in the healthy leaves, but significantly lower at the late stage of infection. The content ratios of total sugars to total free amino acids in tobacco leaves at the early and steady stages of PVY infection were significantly higher than that in the healthy leaves. Analysis of life table data showed that there were no significant differences in the developmental duration, pre-adult duration, reproductive period, post-reproductive period, longevity, intrinsic rate of increase, finite rate of increase and mean generation time of M. persicae on the PVY-infected and healthy plants. However, as compared with the aphids on the healthy plants, the aphids on the PVY-infected plants had a significantly shorter pre-reproductive period, and significantly higher fecundity and net reproductive rate. The M. persicae population on the PVY-infected plants showed an advanced peak of alatae emergence relative to that on the healthy plants. 【Conclusion】 The nutritional quality of tobacco host is improved at the early and steady stages of PVY infection, thus improving the fecundity of M. persicae. However, the decline in the nutritional quality of tobacco plants at the late stage of infection might contribute to the earlier emergence and spread of the alataes, which is conducive to PVY transmission.

【Aim】 Trichogramma dendrolimi is an important egg parasitoid applied in the biological control of lepidopteran pests. This study aims to investigate the effects of oviposition intensity on the titer of Wolbachia in parthenogenetic T. dendrolimi and its parthenogenetic reproductive phenotype induced by Wolbachia. 【Methods】 The effects of different oviposition intensities of females of T. dendrolimi in three treatment groups (supplied with host eggs for only 1 h per day, supplied with host eggs for 24 h every other day and supplied with host eggs all the time) on its biological parameters including the daily proportion of offspring males, daily fecundity, cumulative proportion of offspring males, and cumulative fecundity within 7 d were investigated in the laboratory. Besides, the Wolbachia titers (the copy numbers of wsp) in T. dendrolimi females without oviposition experience (the control), supplied with host eggs for only 1 h per day and supplied with host eggs all the time were detected by fluorescence quantitative real-time PCR. 【Results】 The cumulative proportion of offspring males of T. dendrolimi females supplied with host eggs all the time was significantly higher than that of females supplied with host eggs for only 1 h per day, but was not significantly different from that of females supplied with host eggs for 24 h every other day. The daily proportions of offspring males in the three treatment groups significantly increased with wasp age, and the increase rate was the highest in the treatment group of females supplied with host eggs all the time. The cumulative fecundity of T. dendrolimi females supplied with host eggs all the time was significantly higher than those of females supplied with host eggs for only 1 h per day and females supplied with host eggs for 24 h every other day. The daily fecundity in the three treatment groups significantly decreased with wasp age, but the decrease rate was the highest in the treatment group of females supplied with host eggs all the time. The Wolbachia titer in T. dendrolimi females without oviposition experience was significantly higher than that in T. dendrolimi females supplied with host eggs all the time, but showed no significant difference from that in T. dendrolimi females supplied with host eggs for only 1 h per day. 【Conclusion】 The results suggest that both Wolbachia titer and parthenogenetic phenotype of T. dendrolimi decline when its females can deposit their eggs without limitation. Limiting time for oviposition will be helpful to maintain Wolbachia titer and parthenogenetic phenotype. The results provide references for understanding the interaction between Wolbachia and host Trichogramma and the application of thelytokous parthenogenetic T. dendrolimi for controlling pest insects.

【Aim】 Invasive species can affect the biodiversity of an invasive site by influencing native species populations through competition. Anoplolepis gracilipes is one of the most destructive invasive ants in the world. This study aims to identify the competitive relationship between A. gracilipes and a dominant indigenous ant species Oecophylla smaragdina in Xishuangbanna, southwestern China. 【Methods】 By combining field investigation and the controlled experiment, the body size, the patterns of foraging activity outside the nest in cold fog season and rainy season, the foraging ability (foraging time and the maximum number of recruited workers within foraging time), the fighting behavior (attack intensity and mortality in different fighting combinations), and the starvation and thirst tolerance (the mean survival time and survival rate along time when no food and water were supplied) between A. gracilipes and O. smaragdina were observed and comparatively analyzed. 【Results】 The body length of A. gracilipes workers (3.66±0.06 mm) was significantly smaller than that of O. smaragdina workers (8.27±0.16 mm). The foraging time of A. gracilipes was longer than that of O. smaragdina in the fog cold season, while the numbers of foraging individuals of both species decreased in the high temperature period of the afternoon in the rainy season. When three different foods (apple, bee honey and sausage) were used as the bait, A. gracilipes only needed 4-8 min to find food, while O. smaragdina needed 8-21 min to find food. After finding food, A. gracilipes workers had the ability to gather their companions faster than O. smaragdina. In the controlled experiments, no attack or low intensity attack occurred predominantly in the combination of one individual of A. gracilipes with one individual of O. smaragdina, and when the number of individuals of either of the two species increased to five, the fighting intensity increased significantly, and both species exhibited intraspecific cooperation. There was no significant difference in the average survival time of workers between the two species under starvation and thirst, but A. gracilipes could survive for 120 h, while O. smaragdina could only survive for 96 h. 【Conclusion】 A. gracilipes exhibits stronger ability to forage and longer activity duration in the fog cold season than the indigenous ant species O. smaragdina in Xishuangbanna, suggesting that A. gracilipes may have strong temperature adaptability. It is necessary to intensify the research on this invasive species, and its population development in this area should be paid close attention to.

On the basis of Watt's mathematical model of the index of population t rend (I), an approximate variance estimator of I was developed with delt a method in this paper. Taking the natural population life tables of rice leaf roller Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Lepidoptera:  Pyralidae) published by Wu et al. (1986) as an example, it was applied in evaluating the control effectiveness of biologica lagent (Trichogramma japonicum Ashmead) and chemical insecticide (powder, 1.5% mevinphos + 3% alpha-hexachloro cyclohexane). By Z-test criterion, biologically and statistically sound conclusions were drawn that at the generation level, the suppression effectiveness of trichogramma wasp against rice leaf roller was better than the blank control with P =0.0111 and smaller I value (0.0390 versus 0.1768), and it was also statistically better than the insecticides with P =0.0036 and smaller I value (0.0390 versus 0.3035). The insecticides was not statistic ally worse than the blank control with greater I value (0.3035 versus 0.1768), and P =0.2236. Although these conclusions are close to that drawn by Wu et al. (1986) only based on the index of population trend point estimates, they are supported by an accuracy measurement  P-value.

【Aim】To explore the effects of oviposition season and geographical latitude on  life history traits of the Japanese pine sawyer beetle, Monochamus alternatus, so as to  provide a basis for the accurate prediction and management of this insect pest.【Methods】 Six monitoring plots along the latitudinal gradient of about 1° in Jiangxi Province,  Southeast China were established, then the generation differentiation and developmental  duration were investigated by field pine tree trunk covering observation, and the  overwintering larval instars were surveyed through dead wood dissecting.【Results】The 2nd  generation differentiation of M. alternatus occurred in southern and central Jiangxi. The  proportion of the differentiation entering the 2nd generation decreased from 45.75% to 2. 46% in southern Jiangxi and from 17.42% to 0 in central Jiangxi with the delay of  oviposition season, while there was only one generation in northern Jiangxi, where no  generation differentiation occurred. The proportion of the eggs laid at the same month  entering the 2nd generation decreased from 21.92% to 0 with increasing geographical  latitude. The egg-pupal duration in differentiated and undifferentiated individuals in the  forest was 110.66-122.01 and 330.61-366.01 d, respectively, and showed a latitudinal  co-gradient variation and a counter-gradient variation, respectively. However, no  significant difference was found in the developmental duration of differentiated and  undifferentiated individuals. The overwintering larvae were at the 2nd-5th instars in  southern and central Jiangxi and 4th-5th instars in northern Jiangxi, and the proportion of  the 2nd instar overwintening larvae significantly decreased from 12.47% to 0 and the  proportion of the 5th instar overwintering larvae significantly increased from 45.33% to  98.40% with increasing geographical latitude.【Conclusion】Oviposition season and  geographical latitude have certain effects on the life history traits of M. alternatus,  showing that oviposition season and geographical latitude significantly affect the  generation differentiation proportion of this beetle, but not on the developmental duration  of differentiated individuals and undifferentiated individuals. The larval instars and  proportion of overwintering insects are obviously affected by geographical latitude.

【Aim】 To explore the relationship between the testicular volume and mating activity of male moths of the striped rice stem borer, Chilo suppressalis, and to evaluate the effectiveness of sex pheromone trapping in the pest management. 【Methods】 The testicular volume of different day-old male moths of C. suppressalis under different mating statuses and trapped by sex pheromone were measured and compared, and the relationship between the testicular volume and the developmental and mating statuses of male moths was established. 【Results】 The age (day-old) of male moths of C. suppressalis significantly affected their mating activity. The mating rate of the newly emerged (0-day-old) male moths was low, and the mating rate was the highest in the 1-day-old male moth and then decreased gradually as the age (day-old) of male moths increased. There was a significant negative correlation between the testicular volume and the age of male moths of C. suppressalis. The testicular volume of the mated male moths was significantly larger than that of the unmated male moths of the same age. The testicular volume of the male moths caught by pheromone traps was significantly larger than that of the untrapped male moths, but was as large as that of the mated male moths of the same age. The development of the testis in the mated moths was similar to that of the unmated individuals. The testicular volume of male moths caught by sex pheromone traps in the field was smaller than that of the unmated male moths of 0-1-day-old, but larger than that of the unmated male moths of 2-6-day-old. 【Conclusion】 The results indicate a positive correlation between the response of male moths of C. suppressalis to sex pheromone and their testicular volume. Male moths trapped by sex pheromone lures show stronger responding activity to sex pheromone, and most of individuals caught by sex pheromone traps are the unmated ones. Copulation does not affect the testicular volume and the development of the testis of male moths of C. suppressalis. The relationship between the mating ability and testicular volume of male moths of C. suppressalis explains the effectiveness of sex pheromone trapping in pest management, and provides a basis for the mating study of other moths.

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are a family of important regulatory molecules in organisms, and the regulation of circadian rhythms by ncRNAs has received increasing attention from researchers. In this article, we reviewed the regulation of circadian rhythms by microRNAs (miRNAs) and long-chain non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the context of the related studies of Drosophila melanogaster and mammals. miRNA-mediated regulation of circadian rhythms includes: there are miRNAs with rhythmic expression in organisms, especially in clock neurons; the interaction between input systems and miRNAs mainly via the zeitgeber of light; miRNAs can directly regulate the core oscillator or indirectly affect the core oscillator by regulating other genes; and the regulation of miRNAs on the output system mainly focuses on metabolic feeding rhythms, locomotion rhythms, and sleep rhythms. The circadian rhythm and lncRNAs can regulate each other, and lncRNAs have a wide range of effects and complex mechanisms, which has broad research prospects. This article will be useful for further studies on the regulation of circadian rhythms by non-coding RNAs.

【Aim】  Maladera orientalis  is an important garden pest in China. This study aims to identify peach tree volatile compounds attracting  M. orientalis , so as to provide a theoretical basis for developing attractants of plant origin. 【Methods】 Leaf volatiles were collected from peach tree by dynamic headspace adsorption. The electrophysiologically active compounds for  M. orientalis  adults were identified from peach tree volatiles by gas chromatographymass spectrometry (GC-MS) and coupled gas chromatography electroantennogram detection (GC-EAD) techniques. The electrophysiological and behavioral responses of female adults of  M. orientalis  to the identified active compounds were tested by using electroantennography (EAG) and Y-tube olfactometer, respectively, using hexane as a control. 【Results】 Six active compounds were identified from peach tree volatiles, including  E -2-hexenal,  Z -3-hexenyl acetate,  E -3-hexenol,  Z -3-hexenol, methyl salicylate and an unknown compound.  E- 2-Hexenal triggered significantly greater EAG response in female adults of  M. orientalis  than the other four compounds at the doses of 1 and 10 μg. When the dose was increased to 100 μg,  Z -3-hexenyl acetate triggered significantly lower EAG response in female adults of  M. orientalis  than the other four compounds. In behavioral response experiments, the female adults of  M. orientalis  were significantly attracted to  E -3-hexenol and  Z -3-hexenol at the dose of 100 μg. 【Conclusion】 Among peach tree volatile compounds,  E -3-hexenol and  Z -3-hexenol are significantly attractive to female adults of  M. orientalis.

【Aim】To elucidate the function of Niemann-Pick type C2 protein of Varroa destructor (VdesNPC2b) in host recognition by analyzing the binding properties and mechanisms of VdesNPC2b with the larval pheromones methyl oleate and β-ocimene of the host bees of V. destructor, so as to provide a theoretical basis for biological control of V. destructor. 【Methods】 The open reading frame (ORF) of VdesNPC2b was amplified and analyzed using bioinformatics. The prokaryotic expression vector was constructed based on pET-30a plasmid. The recombinant VdesNPC2b protein was obtained by prokaryotic expression and affinity column chromatography. The binding capacities of VdesNPC2b with the larval pheromones of bees methyl oleate and β-ocimene were analyzed by fluorescence competitive binding experiment, and the binding mechanism of them was analyzed by measuring the binding capacity change at two different temperatures (22 and 32 ℃) through fluorescence spectrum temperature variation experiment. The homologous modeling of VdesNPC2b was performed by SWISS-MODEL software, and the molecular docking simulation of VdesNPC2b and β-ocimene was performed by MVD to preliminarily analyze the key amino acid sites in the binding of VdesNPC2b and β-ocimene. 【Results】 The ORF of VdesNPC2b (GenBank no.: OR463903) is 531 bp in full-length, encoding 176 amino acids. VdesNPC2b has a signal peptide of 16 amino acid residues at the N-terminus. The fluorescent competitive binding assay result showed that the dissociation constant K _D values of VdesNPC2b with methyl oleate and βocimene were 2.89 and 3.49 μmol/L, respectively, with the binding process of dynamic quenching, and the main driving forces maintaining the interaction between VdesNPC2b and methyl oleate and β-ocimene was hydrophobic force. Homologous modeling showed that the secondary structure of VdesNPC2b is β-sheet, and forms a potential external cavity. Leu68, Ile103 and Phe107 could be the key amino acid sites to maintain a stable form of the binding of VdesNPC2b and β-ocimene. 【Conclusion】 V. destructor may use VdesNPC2b binding long-chain brood ester pheromone methyl oleate and volatile β-ocimene to locate and identify host honey bee.

The tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta, is native to South America and a quarantine pest in the world nowadays, which can reduce the yield of the main host crop tomato by 80%-100% in severe cases. In over a decade, this insect pest has invaded and spread from its origin to almost the entire continent of Asia, Africa and Europe, becoming a major threat to the world tomato industry. T. absoluta was discovered in Ili, Xinjiang in 2017 and spread to Yunnan, Gansu and other regions in a short time, greatly threatening the healthy development of the tomato industry and other related agricultural industries in China. Internationally, sex pheromone-based monitoring, mass trapping and mating disruption control have become one of the important  measures to control T. absoluta. In order to study the efficient and environmentally friendly population dynamics monitoring and control technology of T. absoluta, we summarized the research and application status of the sex pheromone in mornitoring, early warning and control of T. absoluta in this article. The females of T. absoluta release sex pheromones to attract males to mate mainly in the morning, and adult mating reaches the peak at 7:00 a.m. In 1995 and 1996, the major and minor components of the sex pheromone released from T. absoluta and their synthetic methods were reported successively. The major and minor components of this sex pheromone are (3E, 8Z, 11Z)-tetradecatrienyl acetate (TDTA) and (3E, 8Z)-tetradecadienyl acetate (TDDA), respectively, which constitute the sex pheromone in a ratio of about 90∶10. Bioassay results revealed that TDTA had a strong attraction to males, which could be further enhanced when its mixture with TDDA was used. In recent years, more efficient and convenient synthetic methods of sex pheromone components have been developed, providing good conditions for their large-scale production and application. At present, the sex pheromone of T. absoluta has been widely used in the control of this insect pest in the world, and good results have been achieved. Among the reported sex pheromone traps commonly used for monitoring and mass trapping this insect pest, the water basin trap and triangle trap are more effective. The common doses of sex pheromone contained in commercial lure core are 0.5, 0.8 and 3.0 mg. For field application, the corresponding trap type and sex pheromone dose should be selected according to the actual situation of habitat and growth stage of crops, damage degree, local natural conditions, etc. In addition, the mating disruption by using sex pheromone is also common in the control of T. absoluta, and its successful application requires a highly enclosed environment. Because sex pheromone has the advantages of high efficiency, safety and environmental protection in the monitoring and control of T. absoluta, its related research results can provide important reference for the sustainable control strategies and measures of this insect pest in China.

【Aim】 To reveal the role of the superoxide dismutase genes in Liposcelis bostrychophila in response to high and low temperature stresses. 【Methods】The cDNAs of three superoxide dismutase genes Cu/Zn-SOD1, Cu/Zn-SOD2 and Fe/Mn-SOD of L. bostrychophila were cloned by RT-PCR, and their sequence characteristics were analyzed by bioinformatics methods. RT-qPCR was used to detect the relative expression levels of Cu/Zn-SOD1, Cu/Zn-SOD2 and Fe/Mn-SOD in adults at 0, 1 and 2 h under high temperature (42 ℃) and low temperature (4 ℃) stresses. 【Results】 LbCu/Zn-SOD1, LbCu/Zn-SOD2 and LbFe/Mn-SOD (GenBank accession numbers are OQ938782, OQ938783 and OQ938784, respectively) of L. bostrychophila were cloned, with the open reading frames (ORFs) of 465, 630 and 636 bp in length, encoding 154, 209 and 211 amino acids with the relative molecular weights of 15.85, 22.33 and 23.72 kD, and the isoelectric points of 6.17, 7.68 and 6.79, respectively. LbCu/Zn-SOD1 and LbCu/Zn-SOD2 had one and two Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase signatures, respectively. LbFe/Mn-SOD had one Fe/Mn superoxide dismutase signature. The results of phylogenetic analysis showed that Cu/Zn-SOD1, Cu/Zn-SOD2 and Fe/Mn-SOD were highly conserved in insects. The expression of LbCu/Zn-SOD1, LbCu/Zn-SOD2 and LbFe/Mn-SOD in adults of L. bostrychophila was induced by high temperature42 ℃ stress, and the expression levels of LbCu/Zn-SOD1 and LbCu/Zn-SOD2 inadults of L. bostrychophila were significantly higher than that of the control at 1 and 2 h. The expression level of LbFe/Mn-SOD in adults of L. bostrychophila was significantly lower than that of the control at 1 h and significantly higher than that of the control at 2 h under42 ℃stress. There was no significant difference in the expression levels of LbCu/Zn-SOD1 and LbCu/Zn-SOD2 inadults of L. bostrychophila at 1 h, while that of LbFe/Mn-SOD decreased significantly at 1 h and those of LbCu/Zn-SOD1, LbCu/Zn-SOD2 and LbFe/Mn-SOD increased significantly at 2 h under 4 ℃stress as compared with that of the control. 【Conclusion】 The superoxide dismutase genes LbCu/Zn-SOD1, LbCu/Zn-SOD2 and LbFe/Mn-SOD are involved in the tolerance of L. bostrychophila to extreme temperature stress.

【Aim】 The phototaxis of moths is directly related to the transformation of light and dark-adapted states of compound eyes. This study aims to clarify the relationship between light and transformation of light- and dark-adapted states of compound eyes of Spodoptera frugiperda. 【Methods】 Quickly taking photos at different time, the light- or dark-adapted state of compound eyes, light and dark-adapted transformation rate of S . frugiperda under light- or dark-adapted state and exposed to yellow light of different light intensities were statistically investigated. 【Results】 The maintenance rate of light-adapted state of compound eyes of S. frugiperda adults gradually increased as the light intensity increased after exposure to yellow light for 1 h under light-adapted state, those of males under yellow light at 0.1-0.5 and 4-6 lx were 67.77% (32.23% into dark-adapted and middle states) and 100%, respectively, while those of females under yellow light at 7-10 lx reached 98.90%. When S. frugiperda adults were exposed to yellow light for 3 h under light-adapted state, the maintenance rate of light-adapted state of compound eyes also gradually increased as the light intensity increased, those of males and females under yellow light at 0.1-0.5 lx were 50.00% and 32.23%, and those of females and males under yellow light at 7-10 lx were 90.00% and 100%, respectively. When S. frugiperda adults were exposed to yellow light at different intensities for 30 min under dark-adapted state, the compound eyes gradually transformed into light-adapted state, the light-adapted transformation rates of compound eyes of both females and males under yellow light at 0.1-0.5 lx were 93.33%, and those of females under yellow light at 0.6-0.9 lx and males under yellow light at 1-2 lx were 100%. 【Conclusion】 These results suggest that S. frugiperda adults have strong photosensitivity, and females are slightly more photosensitive than males.

 【Aim】 The objective of this study is to investigate the diversity and prevalence patterns of Wolbachia in populations of the Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis in Xinjiang, northwestern China. 【Methods】 Wolbachia infection rates in 15 geographical populations of O. furnacalis collected from Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region were detected, and six genes including wsp, ftsZ, gatB, coxA, hcpA and fbpA were subcloned and sequenced from each infected individual. Phylogenetic analysis and sequence typing of Wolbachia strains infecting O. furnacalis were performed based on wsp sequences and by multilocus sequence typing system (MLST), respectively. 【Results】 The Wolbachia infection rates in the 15 O. furnacalis populations ranged from 0 to 40.0%, with an average infection rate of 11.1% (no infected individual was detected in five populations). Phylogenetic trees based on wsp sequences and MLST allelic profiles indicated that two Wolbachia strains, i.e., wOfur1 and wOfur2, infected O. furnacalis populations in Xinjiang, which were assigned to the supergroup A and supergroup B, corresponding to MLST sequence type ST352 and ST37, respectively. Among the tested populations, four populations, i.e., populations from Changji (CJ), Fukang (FK), Manasi (MNS) and Qitai (QT), were infected with both strains, and six populations, i.e., populations from Hotan (HT), Korla (KEL), Yarkant (SC), Shule (SL), Urumqi (UM) and Xinhe (XH), were only infected with wOfur2. The average infection rates of wOfur1 and wOfur2 were 1.2% and 10.3%, respectively. Superinfection was found in MNS population tested. wsp and MLST clustering showed a closely genetic relationship between wOfur2 and several Wolbachia strains which had been proved to induce cytoplasmic incompatibility and male-killing to their insect hosts. 【Conclusion】 The two Wolbachia strains wOfur1 and wOfur2 show distinct differences in the infection rate and prevalence pattern in O. furnacalis populations in Xinjiang. Infection with wOfur2 is more frequent and widespread than that with wOfur1 in O. furnacalis populations.

【Aim】 The effective coordination between symbiont and host insect innate immunity is an important physiological basis for maintaining their reciprocal relationship. Rickettsia is a dominant symbiont in the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci. The aim of this study is to investigate the regulation of Rickettsia on the expression of the immune genes of B. tabaci adults at different day-old ages. 【Methods】 The expression levels of immune key factor lysozyme gene BtLyz1 and defensin gene Btdef in adult B. tabaci lines with 100% infection, 45.83% infection and no infection by the symbiont Rickettsia were detected and compared, respectively, using qRT-PCR. The expression levels of BtLyz1 and Btdef, apoptosis gene BtCaspase and Rickettsia 16S rRNA gene in 100% Rickettsia-infected adults newly emerged within 24 h and adults at the 3-7-day-old and over 15-day-old were detected, respectively, using qRT-PCR. The correlations between the expression level of 16S rRNA gene of Rickettsia and the expression levels of BtLyz1 and Btdef in B. tabaci adults at different day-old ages were analyzed. 【Results】 The expression levels of BtLyz1 and Btdef in B. tabaci adults infected with the symbiont Rickettsia were significantly increased as compared to those in B. tabaci adults non-infected with Rickettsia. The highest expression level of BtCaspase was observed in B. tabaci adults at over 15-day-old infected with Rickettsia. The expression levels of Rickettsia 16S rRNA gene, BtLyz1 and Btdef  in the 3-7-day-old adults of B. tabaci were significantly higher than those in adults newly emerged within 24 h and at over 15-day-old. The expression level of Rickettsia 16S rRNA gene was significantly positively correlated with the expression levels of BtLyz1 and Btdef in B. tabaci adults newly emerged within 24 h and at the 3-7-day-old, while there was no correlation between the expression level of Rickettsia 16S rRNA gene and the expression levels of BtLyz1 and Btdef in adults at over 15-day-old. 【Conclusion】 The symbiont Rickettsia can upregulate the expression levels of immune-related genes in the host B. tabaci. However, this regulatory effect decreases significantly when the host becomes aging.

【Aim】 The genetic differentiation research is an important link to understand the morphological diversity and adaptive evolution of honey bees. It is a prerequisite for the determination of the bioresource management unit and the protection unit and helps to protect the genetic resources of honey bees. This study aims to study the genetic differentiation and genetic resource distribution of the Asian honey bee, Apis cerana across the geographical environment in China by analyzing morphological differentiation. 【Methods】 A total of 6 147 worker bees of A. cerana were collected from 102 sampling sites across the complete distribution area of A. cerana in China. Sixty worker bees of each sampling site from 10-20 colonies were dissected and 33 morphological characteristics associated with the wings, individual size, hind leg, and body color were measured. A multivariate morphometric analysis was conducted and clusters with their morphological traits and distribution patterns were identified. 【Results】 According to the cluster results of discriminant analysis and principal component analysis, A. cerana in China can be divided into 14 morphological clusters. Five clusters with smaller body size were identified. Hainan cluster had the smallest body size, followed by South Yunnan cluster, Taiwan cluster, Southern cluster, and Northern cluster. These five clusters were significantly different in proboscis length, forewing length, the structure of the 3rd submarginal cell in the forewing, body color, and the length of the wax plate. Changbai cluster had the largest cubital index, wax plate size, and width of the stripe of tomentum on tergite 5. However, Bomi cluster of Tibet had the smallest width of the stripe of tomentum on tergite 5 in China. Northwest cluster had the longest hind legs. Five clusters in the West Sichuan Plateau were characterized by larger individuals and black body color. Batang cluster had the smallest cubital index (3.0169) and the largest individual size in China. The cubital index of the Aba cluster was inferior only to that of the Changbai cluster, and the wing lengths and the sizes of sternite 7 were the largest. Derong cluster was the darkest. Yajiang cluster was unique in wing vein angles (A4, N23, E9 and J10 were the smallest and B4 the largest). Chuandian cluster had the smallest body size on the Western Sichuan Plateau. 【Conclusion】 In this study, the morphometric analysis of A.  cerana was conducted based on collection of samples across the complete distribution area of A. cerana in China, especially those from Bomi of Tibet, Taiwan Province, and the Western Sichuan Plateau. Fourteen clusters of A. cerana were obtained in China, including Hainan cluster, southern Yunnan cluster, Changbai cluster, Taiwan cluster, Bomi cluster, Aba cluster, Batang cluster, Derong cluster, Yajiang cluster, Chuandian cluster, Chuangui cluster, Northwest cluster, Southern cluster, and Northern cluster. The results of this study provide a theoretical basis for the protection and exploitation of genetic resources of A. cerana in China.

【Aim】 Agrilus mali is a burrowing pest that can wreak havoc on apple trees. The study aims to determine the flight dispersion capability of A. mali and the key factors affecting its flight capability. 【Methods】 The flight capabilities of different day-old male and female adults of A. mali were measured by SUN-FL intelligent flight grinding system, and the effects of feeding and mating conditions on their flight performance were also evaluated. 【Results】 The flight capability of A. mali adults increased and then declined with the increase of age. The newly-emerged adults had the lowest flight capacity, and the 11-day-old adults had the strongest flight capability. Females had a greater flight capacity than males. The maximum flight distance of female and male adults within 24 h was 0.4165 and 0.3559 km, the maximum flight duration was 0.4582 and 0.4873 h, and the maximum flight speeds were 2.4639 and 1.8561 km/h, respectively. The average flight distance and duration of the 3-day-old female adults with feeding were 0.047 km and 0.048 h, respectively, and those of males were 0.044 km and 0.042 h, respectively, while the average flight distance and duration of the 3-day-old female adults without feeding were only 0.016 km and 0.013 h, and those of males were only 0.013 km and 0.012 h, respectively. Mating had different effects on the flight capacities of female and male adults. The flight capacity of the mated females was better than that of the unmated females. However, the flight capacity of the mated males was lower than that of the unmated males. 【Conclusion】 The flight capacity of A. mali adults is heavily dependent on their age. Feeding can significantly improve the flight capacities of both male and female adults of A. mali, and mating can significantly improve the flight capacity of female adults.

 The emerging epidemics of obesity and diabetes have been recognized as major public health problems worldwide, and the primary etiology is an elevation of blood glucose and lipid levels resulting from an imbalance in energy availability and expenditure. Numerous reports have underscored that insects can be used as in vivo model organisms for human metabolic disorders, such as identification of evolutionarily conserved hormones (such as insulin-like peptide and adipokinetic hormone), signaling networks (such as target of rapamycin signaling pathway), and analogous organs or tissues (such as midgut and fat body) that regulate carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in arthropods and mammals. Here, we reviewed the regulatory mechanism of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in insects, which involves the physiological function of the fat body and oenocytes, the antagonism between insulin-like peptide and adipokinetic hormone on hemolymph glucose regulation, the insulin and insulin-like growth factor signaling pathway (IIS) participated in nutrient metabolism and the cholesterol metabolism associated with steroid hormone synthesis, and also summarized the recent findings on Drosophila genes related with carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. This review will provide reference information for insect physiology and contribute to a better understanding of human metabolic disorders.  

Whitefly honeydew is an important kairomone resource for host-searching of parasitoids. Carbohydrate and amino acid composition of honeydew from the whitefly Bemisia tabaci B  biotype feeding on cabbage and cucumber, and from the greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum feeding on cucumber was comparatively analyzed with the ion chromatogram. The results showed that honeydew of the both whiteflies contained abundant carbohydrates and amino acids, however, the total carbohydrates were present at absolutely high levels, as 42 . 5, 2 . 6 and 5 . 4 times as the total amino acids in honeydew of three whitefly/host combinations, respectively. And the principal carbohydrate was oligosaccharide, accounting for 89 . 3%, 81 . 7% and 88 . 2% of the total carbohydrates, respectively in their honeydew. The species of whitefly and host plant significantly affected sugar and amino acid composition of honeydew, especially oligosaccharide composition. Disaccharides trehalulose and turanose were predominant oligosaccharides in honeydew from B. tabaci B-biotype on cabbage, accounting for 52 . 7% and 35 . 4% of the total oligosaccharides, respectively. However, the principal oligosaccharides in honeydew from B. tabaci and T. vaporariorum on cucumbers were tetrasaccharide stachyose and trisaccharide melezitose, which accounted for 40 . 3% and 26 . 2%, 49 . 9% and 27 . 0% of the total oligosaccharides, respectively. The predominant amino acids were alanine in honeydew from B. tabaci on cabbage (accounting for 66 . 5% of the total amino acids), glycine in honeydew from B. tabaci and T. vaporariorum on cucumbers (accounting for 38 . 2% and 51 . 7% of the total amino acids, respectively). A principal volatile Bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate was found with GC-MS in honeydew from both B. tabaci on cabbage and T. vaporariorum on cucumber.

【 Aim 】 The aim of this study is to clone and analyze circadian clock gene Double -time (Dbt) in Helicoverpa armigera, and to examine the diurnal expression pattern of Dbt mRNA levels and its determinants, so as to provide a theoretical basis for studying the mechanisms of action of the circadian clock genes in the compound eyes and understanding the function of circadian clock genes in peripheral tissues in noctuid moths. 【 Methods 】 Dbt was cloned from compound eyes of 2 - day - old female adults of H. armigera by RT - PCR and RACE, and its deduced amino acid sequence was analyzed using online sites and software. The expression levels of Dbt among different tissues (head, brain, compound eyes, antennae, thorax, abdomen, leg and wing) of female and male adults were determined and compared by qPCR. The diurnal changes of Dbt mRNA levels in compound eyes and head were measured under a photoperiod of14L ∶ 10D and constant darkness (DD). The 2 - day - old adults were irradiated by sensitive wavelength of UV, blue and green lights, respectively, for 6 h from the beginning of the scotophase, and the changes in the expression levels of Dbt in compound eyes were determined after light exposure. Female and male adults were paired for mating during scotophase, and the changes in the expression levels of Dbt in compound eyes were determined at 0 h and 3 h after copulation, respectively. 【 Results 】 The full - length cDNA of Dbt gene was cloned from the compound eyes of H. armigera and designated as HeDbt (GenBank accession number: KM233159). It has a 1 026 bp open reading frame encoding a predicted protein of 314 amino acids, with a molecular mass of 39.79 kD and a calculated isoelectric point (pI) of 9.55. Its deduced amino acid sequence has no transmembrane topologies, and shares several typical conserved domains of insect DBT. HeDBT shows a high homology with DBT proteins from Spodoptera exigua (99% amino acid sequence identity) and Antheraea pernyi (97% amino acid sequence identity). qPCR results illustrated that HeDbt was expressed in all the tested adult tissues, and had low expression levels in the head, brain and compound eyes and high expression levels in thorax and abdomen. The expression of HeDbt showed no obvious circadian rhythm in both the head and compound eyes under14L ∶ 10D and DD. The expression of HeDbt was down - regulated in compound eyes after light exposure and copulation, but with similar HeDbt mRNA levels between female and male adults. 【 Conclusion 】 A circadian clock gene HeDbt was successfully cloned from H. armigera. HeDbt had low mRNA levels in the head and compound eyes of H. armigera adults. Its expression in the head and compound eyes showed no obvious circadian rythym, but was influenced by light exposure and copulation of adults. Our study provides a theoretical basis for further studying the function of circadian clock genes in peripheral tissues in noctuid moths.

 The red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, is a primary invasive pest in China. Currently, scientific researches, control strategies and policy regulations regarding S. invicta mainly focus on the filed of agriculture in China. Although S. invicta is also widely distributed in forests, grasslands, wetlands and urban green spaces and has caused huge damage, the occurrence characteristics and control strategies of S. invicta in these areas are largely overlooked. The occurence of S. invicta is closely associated with human disturbances such as felling, burning and soil turning, and natural factors such as biodiversity, forest canopy density and soil bareness. Due to the low levels of biological diversity and forest canopy density and high levels of human disturbances, there is a high risk of S. invicta invasion in plantation forests and adjacent areas. In natural forests, S. invicta is usually distributed in forest edges and windows, as well as burned areas where the sunlight can directly irradiate. Moreover, nurseries and urban green spaces have a high risk of S. invicta invasion because of large areas of bare soil and high levels of human activities. In areas with high levels of human activities, including plantation forests, nurseries and urban green spaces, S. invicta mainly threatens human health and infrastructure, and directly or indirectly damages trees. In addition, the invasion of S. invicta significantly decreases the abundance and diversity of arthropods in habitats and poses significant threats to wildlife in natural reserves and wetlands. Although it has been reported that S. invicta contributes to promoting seed migration and enhancing soil nutrient circulation under certain conditions, its harmful impacts far exceed its potential beneficial effects. Quarantine, monitoring and control are three important aspects to prevent S. invicta invasion in forestry. Wood, seedlings with soil, and turf are the main objects that may carry S. invicta and need to be quarantined, and fumigation can effectively eliminate S. invicta. Baiting and trapping are the main methods to monitor S. invicta. Recently, some new technologies, including remote sensing and radar technology, also have been developed to monitor S. invicta in grasslands and urban green spaces. Although chemical control is the most predominant control strategy for S. invicta, the use of highly toxic, broad spectrum and hardly degradable insecticides may negatively affect non-target organisms in natural reserves and wetlands. Therefore, it is essential to develop environmentally friendly agents and methods to control S. invicta.

 Honeybee queens share the same genetic background with the workers, and they both are developed from fertilized eggs. Nutritional and spatial variances during the development lead to significant morphological, physiological and behavioral dimorphism between the two castes. The insulin signaling pathway (IIS) regulates the behavior of worker bees, thus influencing their longevity. Longer longevity of queen bees is associated with increased oxidative stress and enhanced stress defense. Vitellogenin (Vg) interacts with juvenile hormone (JH), and the relatively high level of Vg and low level of JH usually lead to longer longevity. Telomerase activity and telomere length are influenced by the development and caste of honeybees. Queens inherit longer telomere length and maintain higher telomerase activity than workers. Overwintering worker bees live longer and show higher telomerase activity than the summer worker bees. Mitochondrial damage is a sign of senescence, while the mitochondrial function of the aged queen remains vigorous. Senescence is closely related to DNA methylation, and DNA methylation and histone modification play important roles in the regulation of plasticity in social insects. With the increase in population aging and the high prevalence of senescence-related diseases, “healthy aging” has triggered a series of concerns in life sciences and social sciences. Studies on honeybee senescence and longevity regulation will provide an important reference for the biology of senescence.

【Aim】 To clarify the relationship between carbohydrate metabolism and diapause during the earlyembryonicdevelopmentalstageinBombyx mori. 【Methods】 Theactivatedhibernating eggs of  bivoltine B. mori strain Qiufeng were used as materials. Some were incubated under 17℃ in darkness and fed normally to produce the non-diapause-destined eggs (ND), and others were incubated under 25℃ in natural circadian rhythm and fed normally to produce the diapause-destined eggs (DD), part of which were further treated with HCl solution to produce the immediately acid-treated eggs (IA). Samples were collected at 0, 2, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h, respectively, after oviposition or acid treatment. The mRNA levels of genes of five carbohydrate metabolism-related enzymes including hexokinase (HK), phosphofructokinase (PFK), sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) and trehalase (TRE) in B. mori eggs were detected by qRT-PCR, and the activities of the five enzymes in B. mori eggs were assayed by ultraviolet visible spectrophotometry. 【Results】 The overall mRNA levels and activities of the key enzymes of glycolysis,hexokinase (BmHK) and phosphofructokinase (BmPFK), and the key enzymes of glycometabolism, sorbitol dehydrogenase (BmSDH-1) and trehalase (BmTRE), in ND and IA of B. mori were higher than those in DD, while the mRNA levels and activities of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (BmPEPCK) related to gluconeogenesis in DD were higher than those in ND and IA. 【Conclusion】 The results suggest that in the early embryonic developmental stage of DD, carbohydrate metabolism is mainly towards energy and material storage for diapause, while in ND and IA, carbohydrate metabolism is mainly towards material catabolism due to fast embryonic development. This study has preliminarily uncovered the relationship between carbohydrate metabolism and diapause of B. mori, being beneficial to better understand the molecular mechanisms of diapause of B. mori.

Rice, as a major staple crop in China, is directly threatened by disease and pest infestations, which jeopardize its safe production. Rice pests are diverse, and their outbreak mechanisms are complex, making the development of green control technologies challenging. Indepth research into rice pest monitoring and early warning technologies, developmental and reproductive regulation mechanisms, chemical communication mechanisms, and novel control technologies not only helps elucidate the outbreak mechanisms of rice pests but also provides new effective control targets and techniques for integrated pest management. In recent years, Chinese scholars have made significant progress in the field of rice pest research, gaining important achievements in multiple research directions, and some recent research findings were presented in this special issue. In this article, we outline the latest progresses in rice pest research at home and abroad, introduce the main research contents of this special issue, and propose the following three research directions worthy of further attention: (1) intelligent monitoring and early warning of rice pests; (2) mechanisms and evolution patterns of rice pest outbreaks; and (3) exploration of green control targets for rice pests and the construction and application of sustainable control systems.

The South American tomato pinworm, Tuta absoluta, is a worldwide devastating pest on tomatoes. This insect pest invaded China in 2017 and showed a trend of spread, posing a serious threat to tomato production in China. Unreasonable use of insecticides for control of this insect pest has led to the increasing level of resistance and the decrease of control efficacy. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop novel green control technologies. Physical control trapping technique and olfactory behavior manipulation technique are important components of the integrated pest management program. In this article, the research progress of physical control trapping (light traps and color traps) and olfactory behavior manipulation (sex pheromone and plant volatiles) in T. absoluta were summarized. Color significantly affects the trapping efficiency of pheromone traps and sticky color traps. White, black and blue traps attract more T. absoluta adults in the field. The black light traps and LED traps with the wavelength of 470 nm have the best trapping efficiency on T. absoluta, and also have synergistic effects on sex pheromone. The sex pheromone of T. absoluta includes the major component (3E, 8Z, 11Z)-tetradecatrienyl acetate and the minor component (3E, 8Z)-tetradecadienyl acetate, in a ratio of ~9∶1. The optimal trapping blend for mass trapping is (3E, 8Z, 11Z)-tetradecatrienyl acetate and (3E, 8Z)-tetradecadienyl acetate in a ratio of 95∶5, and delta traps with sex pheromone lure show the highest trapping efficiency in comparison with other trap types. The sex pheromone of T. absoluta has been widely used for monitoring, mass trapping and mating disruption. Plant volatiles and traditional food attractant volatiles affect the host selection and oviposition of T. absoluta. Octyl acetate, phenylacetaldehyde+acetic acid blend, acetic acid+3-methyl-1-butanol blend, and a blend consisting of limonene, β-ocimene, α-terpinene, δ-elemene and (E)-β-caryophyllene show attractive activities to T. absoluta. p-Quinone, 2-carene, d-curcumene and 1,2-diethylbenzene in tomato can serve as oviposition stimulants to T. absoluta. By contrast, 1-fluorododecane, caryophyllene, curcumene, elemene, humulene, zingiberene, tridecan-2-one, undecan-2-one, (Z)-3-hexenyl propanoate and methyl salicylate have adverse effects on host selection, oviposition or growth and development of T. absoluta. Finally, current problems of behavioral manipulation techniques of T. absoluta, such as unclear mechanisms, unstable effects, and lack of combined application technology with other green control strategies, were discussed, and potential research directions were prospected, which will provide a reference for the development of green control technologies based on insect behavioral manipulation in this pest.

The partial purification of glutathione S-transferases (GST) in  larvae of the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) was studied using ammonium sulfate fractionation after polyethylene imine (PEI) fractionation, polyethyleneglycol (PEG) fractionation and GSH-Sepharose 4B. The results showed that efficacy of purification by PEG10000 and PEG20000 was better than that of ammonium sulfate fractionation after PEI fractionation. After wiping off nucleic acid using PEI fractionation, the peaks of GST activities were in 70%－75% and 60%－65% of ammonium sulfate fractionation for midgut and fat body, respectively; the specific activities were 1 081.49 and 596.41 nmol/(min·mg), and purification factors were 2.53-fold and 2.2-fold, respectively. The efficacy of purification by PEG10000 and PEG20000 was the best in six kinds of PEG tested. The activity peaks of GST were in 40%－45% and 30%－40% of PEG10000 fractionation for midgut and fat body, respectively; the specific activities were 795.11 and 1 080.18 nmol/(min·mg), and purification factors were 2.4-fold and 3.97-fold, respectively; the activities of GST were the highest in 25%－40% and 25%－45% of PEG20000 fractionation for midgut and fat body, respectively. The specific activities of GST were 767.57 and 945.96 nmol/(min·mg) respectively, and the purification factors were 2.81-fold and 3.05-fold. The specific activity of GST from midgut reached 5 888.44 nmol/(min·mg)  by GSH-Sepharose 4B column chromatography and the purification factor increased to 107.38-fold. 

【Aim】 Blister beetles belonging to the family Meloidae within the order Coleoptera, are a series of resource insects with great medicinal value. The larval oligophagous and specialized feeding on locust eggs severely restricts their artificial rearing and the utilization and development of cantharidin. The larval obsession for food was universally acknowledged and proven by many studies, but we found through our rearing experiences that their feeding specialization gradually decreases during the whole larval stage. 【Methods】We conducted a large-scale rearing experiment and physiological and ecological analyses, determined the larval survival rate, pupation rate, adult eclosion rate, dry weight of mature larvae, growth amount, larval growth rate, larval duration, pupal duration, and number of eggs laid per female of Hycleus cichorii from various treatment groups (substituting locust eggs by the artificial diet from the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th instars, i.e. 1st-4th instar groups, respectively) and the control group (fed with locust eggs throughout the larval stage), then compared the growth, development and adult reproduction of grouped meloids to verify the feeding adaptation of H. cichorii larvae to the non-preferred food and figure out the adaptive pattern to the nutritional stress. 【Results】After substituting locust eggs by the artificial diet, the 1st instar group had a significantly lower survival rate than the 2nd, 3rd and 4th instar groups and the control group, and a zero pupation rate. Moreover, after substituting locust eggs by the artificial diet, the 1st instar group had significantly lower larval growth rate and dry weight of mature larvae, and longer larval duration than the 2nd, 3rd and 4th instar groups and the control group. There was no significant difference in the survival rate among the 2nd, 3rd and 4th instar groups, but the pupation rate and adult eclosion rate gradually increased with instars increasing. After substituting locust eggs by the artificial diet, the larval growth rate and dry weight of mature larvae increased, and the larval duration shortened with instars increasing. 【Conclusion】 The results of this study suggest that the 1st instar larvae of H. cichorii can not adapt to the non-preferred food, while the older instar larvae manifest a stepwise improving feeding adaptation with instars. This study demonstrates that the food specialist H. cichorii larvae possess a staged adaptation to nutritional stress. The detailed pattern of changing feeding adaptability provides theoretical feasibility for the complete artificial rearing of H. cichorii larvae and will contribute to the studies on the artificial rearing and resource utilization of medicinal meloids.

 【Aim】 To clarify the effects of broflanilide on the fitness and detoxification enzyme activities of Spodoptera frugiperda after multiple generations of selection and to provide a theoretical basis for the scientific and rational use of this insecticide. 【Methods】 The changes in the toxicity of broflaniliole to the 3rd instar larvae, the activities of detoxification enzyms (cytochrome P450 monooxygenase, glutathione S-transferase and carboxylesterase) in the 3rd instar larvae and the population fitness of S. frugiperda were determined after the newly hatched larvae were continuously exposed to 0.25 mg/L of broflanilide for 10 generations by the diet-overlay method. And the synergistic effects of three synergists (PBO, TPP and DEM) on broflanilide were determined in bioassay against the 3rd instar larvae of S. frugiperda. 【Results】 After 10 generations of selection by broflanilide, the exposed S. frugiperda population Bro-SEL developed 2.71-fold resistance to broflanilide, compared to the unexposed population UNSEL. At the same time, the fecundity and larval survival rate of the exposed population Bro-SEL were significantly decreased and the population parameters (intrinsic rate of increase, finite rate of increase and net reproductive rate) were also significantly decreased, as compared to those in UNSEL. The Bro-SEL population had the relative fitness of 0.35. The carboxylesterase activities in the 3rd instar larvae of Bro-SEL were significantly increased by 1.62- and 1.61-fold, respectively, when using α-NA and β-NA as the substrates, but the activities of cytochrome P450 monooxygenase and glutathione S-transferase in the 3rd instar larvae of Bro-SEL had no significant change as compared with those in the unexposed population UNSEL. Bioassay against the 3rd instar larvae of S. frugiperda revealed that both PBO and TPP had significant synergistic effects on broflanilide, with the synergistic ratios of 1.31 and 1.42, respectively.【Conclusion】 These results showed that there was little change in the toxicity of broflanilide to S. frugiperda population after 10 generations of selection by the insecticide broflanilide, indicating that S. frugiperda has a low risk of metabolic resistance to broflanilide, but the population development and reproduction of S. frugiperda have high fitness cost, and broflanilide is a good alternative agent for controlling S. frugiperda.

【Aim】 Bactrocera is the most economically significant genus of tephritid flies. The present study aimed to make molecular identification and phylogeny analysis of common species of the genus Bactrocera. 【Methods】 Twenty-one species belonging to eight subgenera of the genus Bactrocera that were frequently intercepted from customs were identified using DNA barcoding technology based on mitochondrial cytochrome c coxidase subunit I (COI) gene. The partial fragments (about 650 bp) of the mtDNA COI gene were amplified using DNA barcoding universal primers. The obtained COI gene fragments were sequenced and aligned. The phylogenetic tree was established by a neighbor-joining (NJ) method. The intra-and inter-species genetic distances were calculated with MEGA version 5.0 software using the Kimura 2-parameter model. 【Results】 The identification results based on the phylogenetic tree were consistent with those based on morphological analyses for the 21 fruit fly species. In these species, 11 species of Bactrocera formed monophylies of themselves, the other 10 species shared one monophyly， and all bootstrap values of the original divergence among different haplotypes within the same species were over 99%. The average inter-species genetic distance between the 21 species was 35.8 times higher than the average intraspecies genetic distance of the 10 species (0.1540 vs. 0.0043). There was no overlap between intra- and inter-species genetic distances. 【Conclusion】 The results indicated that the DNA barcoding based on the partial sequence of mtDNA COI gene cauld provide rapid and accurate identification of Bactrocera species. The technology could be used in identifying and monitoring tephritid fruit fly species.

【Aim】 This study aims to explore the crucial genes and metabolic pathways involved in obligatory summer diapause in Galeruca daurica, a new pest with great outbreak in the Inner Mongolia grasslands, northern China. 【Methods】 Using RNA-Seq, we performed sequencing, transcriptional profiling and functional prediction for G. daurica adults at different summer diapause stages, i.e. pre-diapause (PD), diapause (D) and post-iapause (TD), and screened differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at different summer diapause stages based on the RNA-Seq data. The expression levels of ten DEGs screened based on the RNA-Seq data were verified by qPCR. 【Results】 A total of 202 770 198 clean reads from nine libraries were filtered, and 12 078 060 transcripts were assembled into 82 292 unigenes with an average length of 783.59 bp and a N50 of 1 545 bp. The 2 395 (2 119 up-regulated and 277 down-regulated) and 62 (59 up-regulated and 3 down-regulated) DEGs were identified in the D vs PD and TD vs D omparison groups, respectively. The KEGG analysis revealed that the glycolysis/gluconeogenesis and fatty acid biosynthesis pathways were significantly enriched in the D vs PD and TD vs D comparison groups, respectively. Additionally, many DEGs related to the Ca²⁺ signaling were differentially expressed during diapause. Finally, the expressional analysis result by qPCR for ten DEGs showed a high consistency between qPCR and RNA-Seq results. 【Conclusion】 The glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, fatty acid biosynthesis, and Ca²⁺signaling pathways may play an important role in diapause regulation of G. daurica. This study establishes a foundation for future studies on the molecular mechanism underlying obligatory summer diapause in G. daurica.

 【Aim】 Periplaneta americana commonly known as the American cockroach carries out a wide range of activities with the help of locomotor abilities using its femoral and thoracic muscles, reflecting ease of movement in various habitats and that it is able to utilize food substances by the help of metabolic activities for effective daily activities. Little is known about variations in the daily pattern of metabolic activities in P. americana. This study was conducted to investigate the circadian variation in metabolite contents and enzyme activities in the thoracic and femoral muscles of adult P. americana. 【Methods】 The study was carried out by collecting the femoral and thoracic muscles of the 8-day-old aduts of P. americana at 6:00, 12:00, 18:00 and 24:00 local time ［6:00, 12:00, 18:00 and 24:00 Greenwich mean time (GMT)］. The activities of four enzymes (amylase, lipase, proteinase and α-glucosidase) which are responsible for metabolizing or converting the food substances to utilizable substances during transport to the muscles and hydrolysis of the food substances necessary for fueling locomotion in insects, and the contents of the organic (glucose, protein and lipids) and inorganic ［sodium (Na ⁺), potasium (K ⁺), calcium (Ca ²⁺), chlorine (Cl ^-), iron (Fe ²⁺), magnesium (Mg ²⁺) and phosphate ion (PO ₃ ^-4)］ substances in these tissues were determined using standard biochemical analytical methods.【Results】 The activities of the four enzymes amylase, lipase, proteinase and α-glucosidase were detected in both femoral and thoracic muscles of P. americana adults throughout the 24 h but at varying activity levels at different time. The activities of amylase, lipase, proteinase and α-glucosidase tested in the femoral muscle followed this pattern: 12:00>6:00>24:00>18:00, and were higher in females than in males. In the thoracic muscle, the activities of amylase, lipase and proteinase at 6:00 and 12:00 were significantly higher than those at 18:00 and 24:00, and females had higher enzyme activities than males. In the thoracic muscles of adult males, the glucose content was significantly higher at 18:00 than at the other time points, and the protein contents at 18:00 and 24:00 were significantly higher than those at 6:00 and 12:00, and the lipid content was significantly higher at 24:00 than at the other time points, while in the thoracic muscles of adult females, the lipid content was significantly higher at 12:00 than at the other time points, the protein contents at 12:00 and 24:00 were significantly higher than those at 6:00 and 18:00, while the glucose content was significantly higher at 24:00 than at the other time points. In the femoral muscle, the lipid content was significantly higher at 18:00 than at the other time points. In the femoral muscle of adult males, the glucose content was significantly higher at 24:00 than at the other time points, and the protein content was significantly higher at 6:00 than at the other time points, while in the femoral muscle of adult females, the contents of glucose and protein were significantly higher at 24:00 than at the other time points. In the thoracic muscle of adult males, the Na ⁺ content was significantly higher at 18:00 than at the other time points, the contents of K ⁺ and Ca ²⁺ in males at 6:00 and 12:00 were significantly higher than those at 18:00 and 24:00, the Cl ^- content was significantly higher at 24:00 than at the other time points, the PO ₃ ^-4 contents at 6:00, 18:00 and 24:00 showed no significant difference, but were significantly higher than that at 12:00, while in the thoracic muscle of adult females, the Na ⁺ content was significantly higher at 6:00 than at the other time points, while the contents of K ⁺, Ca ²⁺ and Cl ^- were significantly higher at 12:00 than at the other time points, and the PO ₃ ^-4 contents at various time points were not significantly different. In the femoral muscle of the adult males, the contents of Na+ and Ca2+ were significantly higher at 12:00 than at the other time points, the K ⁺ content was significantly higher at 6:00 than at 18:00 and 24:00, while the contents of Cl ^-  and PO ₃ ^-4 were significantly higher at 6:00 than at the other time points, while in the femoral muscle of adult females, the contents of Na ⁺ and Cl ^- were significantly higher at 6:00 than at the other time points, the contents of K ⁺ and Ca ²⁺ at 6:00, 12:00 and 18:00 exhibited no significant difference, while were significantly higher than that at 24:00, and the PO ₃ ^-4 content exhibited no significant difference among various time points. 【Conclusion】 The results of this study suggest that P. americana adults possess the ability to metabolize their organic and inorganic substrates with the help of the enzymes amylase, lipase, proteinase and α-glucosidase for movement, during the peak time of activities.